Adjustably positionable aircraft loading/unloading bridges have heretofore been proposed, illustrative of which are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,793,662; 3,808,626; and 5,084,936. In addition, there have been proposed bridge walkway extensions such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,787,111 and 5,040,257; and there additionally have been proposed adapters to facilitate utilization by handicapped persons as illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,569.
The foregoing proposals have generally been directed to standard size passenger and cargo aircraft and consequently have been relatively large in size and height. They have not generally been practicable for use with small aircraft such as those employed in feeder lines to smaller or outlying communities. Accordingly, persons emplaning or deplaning to and from small aircraft typically have had to walk from a doorway or the like over airport tarmac and thence up a stairway in order to enter a small airplane. When deplaning, just the reverse occurs, thus exposing passengers to inclement weather and hazards such as propellers, cables, and fueling hoses. Therefore, there has continued to be a need for a highly adjustable and enclosed passenger or cargo loading/unloading bridge that can be advantageously utilized with such small aircraft.